Trustmark puts Spring into the home

Published: 02 March, 2012

ASCOT: TrustMark, the Government endorsed quality mark for tradesmen, is advising homeowners to deal with any post-winter repairs sooner rather than later and to only use reputable and honest tradesmen to do the property repair work.

Stuart Carter, head of PR and marketing at TrustMark says: “It is vital that homeowners do their best to minimise the potential damage from the harsh weather and ensure that if things do go wrong, they hire legitimate tradesmen to carry out any repair work. Dealing with problems at an early stage can ward off the need for more extensive and expensive repairs in the future.”

Below is a list of TrustMark’s top tips on how people can Spring-proof their home:

Check the roof and guttering as the winter may have taken its toll on your roof, causing slipped or cracked and broken tiles. If water in your gutters are not running freely it can overflow and cause serious damp problems.

External painting and maintenance. Smarten up the exterior of the home by repainting any weather-weary walls, but check that they don’t have any cracks in them. Painting will also protect the home from damp and a lick of paint will transform window frames.

Check the plumbing as the winter months may have caused pipes and plumbing to have suffered frost damage, particularly if they haven’t been lagged. Other common plumbing problems such as blocked drains , leaks or dripping taps may not seem immediately pressing, but it’s best to get them repaired as soon as possible to avoid further damage.

Sort out boilers and insulation by making the home more energy and cost efficient. Cut down on heating bills by switching the boiler to summer mode and installing proper heating controls. Loft insulation will also keep the home cool in summer as well as warm in winter.

Extend or convert the property with a home extension or conversion if the home is starting to feel cramped or you’re looking for a change without having to move completely. Take advantage of neglected areas of the house and convert the garage, loft or basement into usable space.

Get the garden into good shape by mending any damaged fencing, sheds or greenhouses and clear the garden of debris. Remove any moss or algae that may have formed on garden paths or driveways and repaint or stain outdoor furniture to protect it from further weather damage.

Mr Carter added: “However hard we try to protect our homes from bad weather conditions, many of us will still require a tradesman. There is only one UK wide website which lists licenced firms, which have received on-site inspections to look at their quality of work by experienced independent inspectors. And that is Trustmark, who are a not-for-profit social enterprise and operate to Government-endorsed standards.

TrustMark is the only scheme supported by Government, industry and consumer protection groups. It has the support of many partner organisations, including the Trading Standards Institute and Citizens Advice which are aiming to raise standards within the industry and provide greater protection for householders in their search to find local, quality tradesmen.

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